History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 31

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 31

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127

THE SCHUYLKILL.

completion of the canal with its dams put an end to rafting, but not until it had cansed the hills and val- leys of that section to be pretty well denuded of its choicest timber, that had given employment to hun- dreds of saw-mills since gone to decay. It was from this source chiefly that the people of Montgomery County were supplied for some time with their best lumber for building purposes.

As soon as the canal was sufficiently completed an accommodation boat, as it was then called, was es- tablished in June, 1825, for the conveyance of passen- gers from Reading to Pawling's Bridge, making three trips a week. At the latter place they were trans- ferred to a line of stages passing through Norristown to Philadelphia. The following year the packet-boat " Planet" commenced making regular through trips between Reading and the city. Mention is made that on her return, May 10, 1826, she carried sixty- four through passengers. In the beginning of June, 1829, the "Comet," of Norristown, succeeded in making five trips per week to Philadelphia. A news- paper of the time states that " we notice this in order that our friends in the city and country may have a chance of enjoying a pleasant ride. Those who go on business and would prefer expedition will take the stage,"-intimating that while the cost of travel was less it was not as speedy. As a consequence the stages at this time reduced the fare from one dollar to seventy-five cents ; what the cost was by packet has not been ascertained. Several attempts were also made to establish steamboat lines between the afore- said places. The first was by Capt. Hewit, about 1822. He made several trips to Norristown, but the detention was such in passing through the several locks that it discouraged him. Another effort was made in 1829, and also still later, but were soon aban- doned.

As may be judged from what has been stated, the Schuylkill was noted from an early period for the abundance of its fish. Shoals of shad, herring, rock- fish, and sturgeon would ascend its free and uninter- rupted conrse every spring from the sea, furnishing to the hardy settlers along its banks no inconsider- able supply of food. The antiquarian, Samuel W. Pennypacker, of Philadelphia, has quite a collection of spear-heads or darts from four to six inches iu length, collected from the shallow channels of the river in the vicinity of Phoenixville, that must from their size been chiefly used there for the capture of sturgeon. In 1784, 2792 shad were caught in the seine at the fishery at Pottstown, and in the following year 3701. Benjamin B. Yost, formerly register, aged seventy-two years, informed me in 1858, but a few weeks before his death, that he well remembered see- ing shad and herring caught there in abundance. Rachel Roberts recollected also of numerous shad, herring, and rockfish being caught in the vicinity of Norristown near the close of the last century. Jacob S. Otto, in 1803, advertises a farm of three hundred

and two acres for sale, bounded by the Schuylkill and Perkiomen, " where there is a shad fishery." Catfish Island is advertised in 1806 as containing nearly five acres, with the "privilege reserved by John and Henry Pawling to fish in the pool above and to draw out the net on its shore." In the spring of 1811 upwards of five barrels of shad were caught and salted down at the poor-house for the use of the paupers, as we learn from the directors' report for said year. William Bakewell, in offering his farm of two hundred acres for sale in 1813 at Fatland Ford, does not omit men- tioning its "shad fishery." All this is indicative of the value the people then set on those fisheries. How- ever, the construction of the several dams across the Schuylkill and the completion of the canal prevented the further ascent of the fish, and hence the supply ceased. Besides the goldfish and carp, the black bass was introduced from the Potomac in 1870, and their catching prohibited by law for three years. They appear to thrive rapidly, a few having been caught after the prohibited time with the hook that weighed from four to six pounds each. It is supposed from their voracious habits that the catfish, chnb, sucker, and other fish, formerly so numerous, have thus been greatly diminished.

Although William Scull, in his map of the province, published in 1770, had denoted coal thereon at three places in the vicinity of the present Pottsville, and also on the Mahanoy Creek, yet some time elapsed before any attention was directed towards it. A meeting of the inhabitants of Schuylkill County was held Dec. 18, 1813, in the court-house at Orwigsburg, to take into consideration the propriety of rendering the Schuylkill navigable by dams and locks, by which means the coal and iron ore abounding there might be much more cheaply and expeditiously sent to market and prove peculiarly advantageous to that section. This early movement on the part of the aforesaid no doubt helped to direct further attention to the subject. The first coal sent by water of which there is an account was by Abraham Pott on flats in 1821-23, two or three trips being made in each year. He soon after had the "Stephen Decatur" built, which in 1824 carried twenty-eight tons of coal as far as Reading, a feat also performed by the company's boat "Pioneer." Several arks and boats are men- tioned as having passed through Norristown on their way to Philadelphia loaded with coal in September of said year, indicating that the canal and navigation had been sufficiently completed for its accomplish- ment. The result of this was an announcement in the Reading Journal of Nov. 27, 1824, that " the pres- ent price of freight from Philadelphia to Reading is only twelve and one-half cents per hundredweight on the canal, whereas by land transportation the general price is forty cents."

Daniel Pastorius, of Norristown, advertised in Jan- uary, 1825, that he had just received " several arks of Schuylkill coal, and families and smiths supplied

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with any quantity on reasonable terms." On June 11th, thirteen boats are announced as having passed through the locks at Reading destined for Philadel- phia from Mount Carbon with coal, and that the whole line could now be considered as finished. On the following July 2d forty boats are mentioned as having passed through Norristown with coal for the city. Respecting the early introduction of coal into Norristown, the Herald of October 26th gives us the following interesting information : " We are pleased to find that a number of our enterprising citizens have commenced the burning of stove coal. Grates and stoves are now fixing up in several of the offices, bar-rooms, and private dwellings in this borough. It is generally believed that coal at seven dollars per ton is cheaper than hickory wood at five dollars per cord." Ponlson's Advertiser of September, 1827, states that the "Schuylkill navigation has improved and the trade on the river increased within a short period, far exceeding the most sanguine expectations. The scene of canal-boats with coal and iron and mer- chandise above and below Market Street bridge indi- cated great commercial activity. Between Market Street and Spruce Street there were this morning three large brigs of two hundred to two hundred and forty tons each and five large schooners and sloops loading coal from Monnt Carbon for Newport, Boston, Providence, Albany, and other Eastern ports; also four schooners and sloops loading iron ore."

The Norristown Herald of July 8, 1829, announces that "ninety-seven boats, carrying two thousand five hundred and fifty-three tons of coal, a quantity of iron, flour, eleven hundred and twenty bushels of flaxseed, and other eatables, departed from Mount Carbon during the last week. We expect that about two hundred boats now pass up and down the river Schuylkill weekly. The tolls will greatly exceed any former year, and will pay a considerable part of the debts of the company." "The advantages we reap," says James Mease, in his " Picture of Phila- delphia," " from the coal trade is of considerable mo- ment, from the consideration that wood has become almost a drug, and we purchase it this year, Dec. 30, 1830, at from fonr to five dollars per cord, almost as low as it sells in the early part of the fall. Eighty- one thousand tons of coal have descended the Schuyl- kill Canal this season, producing to the various per- sons engaged in mining, hauling, trans-shipping, and transporting nearly five hundred thousand dollars. The freight and tolls continue high, the former being now two dollars and the latter one dollar per ton ; but, notwithstanding this, it is expected that coal in 1831 will be sold for four dollars; now it brings from five to six and a half."

Messrs. Kirk & Baum, of Pottsville, in the beginning of December, 1858, to pass through with two hundred and twelve tons, and the "Pilgrim," of Schuylkill Haven, with two hundred and thirteen tons, in 1860, drawing only five feet eight inches of water,-a ca- pacity exceeding fourteen times that of the largest- sized Reading boats used sixty years previously, and which could then only ascend but little over half the present distance. The opening of the Schnylkill navigation was celebrated in what would now be regarded as a rather novel manner. It was com- pleted as far as Reading July 1, 1824, and the 5th was selected for the event. A number of persons from Philadelphia, Reading, and neighborhood assembled on this day and embarked on board of the boats "Thomas Oaks," "Stephen Girard," " De Witt Clin- ton," and "Reading Packet," and thus from Pottstown to the aforesaid place the first experiment of canal navigation was made in Pennsylvania to the entire sat- isfaction of those present. By order of the managers, the name of "The Girard Canal" was given to the said twenty-two miles of cut as a mark of respect to Stephen Girard, to whose liberality the company was so greatly indebted. To attend the reception of La- fayette at Philadelphia in September, four boats were dispatched from Reading filled with volunteers and passengers, besides several laden with coal from Mount Carbon, which was regarded collectively as a subject for triumph and congratulation.

For a few years the stagnation of the water by the erection of dams caused some alarm among the resi- dents of the vicinity from the increase of fever and ague, but the reclamation and cultivation of the low grounds and other improvements have restored it fully to its former condition of healthfulness. The Norristown dam was not completed until 1828, its breast being eight feet high, with a width of eight hun- dred and eighty feet. It appears strange now to state that no tow-path was constructed for the use of horses until the latter part of Jnne, 1825, when Col. Hun- zinger dispatched a boat from Pottsville loaded with lumber drawn by a horse, it being the first attempt of the kind, at least from the upper section of the navi- gation. It appears to have been the original inten- tion that the boats should be propelled by oars or set- ting-poles as formerly. As an after-thought for this construction, the company had to receive a special act of the Legislature. In some instances the boats pre- vionsly were drawn by two men attached to long lines to the end of which sticks were fastened and held at the breast. The first trips occupied three and four weeks, which was reduced by the use of horse-power down to ten or eleven days in the spring of 1826.

The Schuylkill at times has been subject to severe freshets. In February, 1784, a destructive flood oc- curred in the breaking up of the ice. In October, 1786, another occurred which occasioned the river to rise at Pottstown eighteen feet, and brought down

The original capacity of the navigation was for boats of twenty-eight to thirty tons, which by subse- quent improvements was increased to sixty-six tons. The enlargement of 1846 and a somewhat later period enabled the scow "Hercules," belonging to | immense numbers of pumpkins. July 29, 1824, the

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Schuylkill arose at Norristown thirteen feet, and brought down trees, boats, logs, boards, rails, hay, oats, and eord-wood that had been swept away by the rapidly descending current. The bridge at Flat Rock, undergoing repairs and a few days more would have completed, was again destroyed, causing a heavy loss to its contractor, Mr. Wernwag. However, the freshet of Sept. 2, 1850, surpassed all former ones in destruc- tiveness, rising twenty-one feet above ordinary level, carrying away the bridges at Pottstown, Consho- hocken, Flat Rock, and Manayunk, besides oceasion- ing a vast amount of damage throughout the valley. Those that witnessed the scene will have occasion to hold it long in remembrance.

CHAPTER X.

STAGE LINES.1

WITH the introduction of railroads the palmy days of the stage-coach are over, which, by reason of its long and continued use as an important adjunct to travel, deserves notice in these annals. Montgomery County, located so near Philadelphia, with all its main roads leading there from the northeast, north, and west, including intermediate points, must neces- sarily in the past have been a great thoroughfare for numerous lines of stage-coaches in the conveyance of passengers, when no readier or better facilities for expeditious travel existed. This mode of travel has now gone out of usage, and although onr local histo- rians have as yet given little attention to its history, there are many facts and reminiseences connected with it well worthy of preservation.

The first through line of stages from Philadelphia to Baltimore and New York was established in 1756. To the latter city John Butler was the proprietor, the distance requiring three days, and the fare twenty shillings, or three pence per mile. Charles Bessonett in 1773 reduced the time to two days. The first line it is supposed that passed through the present terri- tory of this eounty was that established by George Klein between Bethlehem and Philadelphia, on what was known as the King's Highway, but later the Old Betlilehem road. His first trip was made in Septem- ber, 1763, in what he termed a "stage waggon." He started regularly every Monday morning from the Sun Tavern, Bethlehem, and returned from the city every Thursday morning, thus consuming a week in his round. His starting-place was from the King of Prussia, a noted inn on Race Street, and the charge through was ten shillings. This no doubt was the pioneer passenger line entering the city from either the north or the west. Bradford, in his aecount of the distances from the court-house in Philadelphia in

1772, thus mentions the King's road : To Rising Sun, 33 miles ; Monnt Airy, 83 ; Scull's, 10 ; Ottinger's, 12} ; White Marsh Church, 13} ; Benjamin Davis, at the Spring House, 16; Baptist Meeting, near Montgomery- ville, 23; Housekeeper's, 25; Swamp Meeting, 37 ; Stoffel Wagner's, 47; and to Bethlehem, 522 miles.

Housekeeper's must have evidently been at the present Line Lexington, from its distance above the Baptist Church. In 1797 a stage started for Bethle- hem from Lesher's tavern, sign of the "Stage Wag- gon," located in Second Street below Race, on every Wednesday morning at ten o'eloek, and was probably an opposition line.

The post-office was established at Bethlehem in July, 1792, and as a consequence an additional en- couragement was given for the transportation of the mail. The stages now redueed their time to two days to the eity, which in 1798 was brought down to one by the mail line. In 1802 the Bethlehem and Allen- town stage left Philadelphia on Wednesday and Satur- day mornings at five o'clock from the Franklin and Camel Inns. The latter place was in Second Street above Race. It appears that two lines were running to Bethlehem in 1820, both leaving Philadelphia on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings at four o'clock. One started from Yohe's Hotel, in Fourth Street a few doors above Market ; the other from the White Swan, in Race Street above Third. The Union line of stages for Bethlehem, Allentown, and Mont- rose, via Nazareth, Easton, and Wilkesbarre, departed from the latter place. This was an association formed by the proprietors of several fines to resist compe- tition, whichi at this time was quite active.

About 1781, William Coleman, an energetic bnsi- ness man, established a line from Philadelphia to Reading, of which he was the proprietor, and drove himself for twenty-seven consecutive years. He started from the White Swan, in Race Street, every Wednesday morning at seven o'clock, making a trip every week. Having received the contract for carry- ing the mail in 1804, he started from the Widow Wood's inn, Reading, every Monday and Thursday morning, arriving in the city the same days. Return- ing, left Philadelphia every Wednesday and Satur- day mornings. This arrangement existed from May 1st to November 1st. This line passed through Nor- ristown, Trappe, and Pottsgrove, sinee called Potts- town. In the winter season he left the White Swan every Tuesday and Friday at two o'clock A.M. From Reading this line was continued to Harrisburg and Carlisle. Its stopping-place in Pottstown in 1806 was at the Rising Sun tavern, kept by Jacob Barr. Mr. Coleman, in August, 1808, opened an inn at Reading for the accommodation of his passengers, his stages arriving and departing there in several directions. In 1811 he put on an additional line from Pottstown to Philadelphia, leaving John Boyer's tavern every Tuesday morning at six o'clock, arriving in the city in the evening, and returning from the White Swan

1 By Wm. J. Buck.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

every Thursday morning at the same hour, the fare being two dollars and twenty-five cents. This is the last account given of Mr. Coleman, after an expe- rience in staging of at least thirty years. In this last venture he announces in bothı English and German that "a sober and careful driver will attend the stage, so that passengers may travel with safety and pleasure." The "Gentlemen's Pocket Almanac," published in 1769, thus gives the distances from Phil- adelphia over the Reading road to Pottstown : To Robin Hood, 4 miles; to Plymouth Meeting, 14; to Bartlestall's, 18; to Perkiomen Church, 24; to Shrack's, 26; to Widow Lloyd's, 30; to Potts', 38 miles.

On the completion of the canal in the summer of 1825, passengers from Reading were conveyed in a boat to Pawling's Bridge, and there transferred to stages passing through Norristown to Philadelphia, making three trips weekly. The packet-boat " Planet," during the summer of 1829, continued to convey pas- sengers from Reading to the city at the reduced rate of $2.25, going through in a day. In 1831 we learn that the stage for Reading and Pottsville still left its old place, the White Swan, daily at the early hours of 2 and 4 A.M. Ah, ye sluggards by rail, think of these sweet morning hours for travel on a cold win- ter's day ! In December, 1839, the railroad was com- pleted to Reading, and the shrill whistle of the loco- motive along the Schuylkill Valley proclaimed the triumph of the iron horse over wearied flesh and bones, through mud and dust and snow-drifts, as well as over hill and dale and rugged pikes.

A daring robbery was perpetrated on the Reading and Harrisburg mail-stage at three o'clock on Sun- day morning of Dec. 6, 1829, that at the time made no little excitement. It was committed by three armed men in disguise with lanterns on the Ridge road, a short distance beyond the present Girard College. The horses were seized, and with a flourish of pistols the lines were demanded from the driver, and were taken from off the gears. The passengers, 20 less than ten in number, were ordered respectively to get ont, and their hands secured on their backs with their own handkerchiefs, when their pockets were rifled. When this operation was through the driver was permitted to secure his lines, while they decamped with the mail and the contents of several trunks. The plot was brought about by the rogues having as- certained in some way that a drover, known to carry considerable money with him, would be in this morn- ing's stage. The drover was one of the passengers, and whether they succeeded in securing as much plunder from him as was expected is not known. Although he had frequently boasted of what he would do should just such an attempt be made on him, yet on this occasion he proved as meek as the rest.

The line to Lancaster was established in April, 1785, by Frederick Doersh and Adamı Weaver, who state that their "Stage Waggon" will set out every Monday

and Friday morning from the King of Prussia tavern, in Market Street above Third ; and from the Black Horse tavern, Queen Street, Lancaster, every Tuesday and Saturday morning. Each passenger was allowed fourteen pounds of baggage. The fare was twenty shillings, "one-half to be paid on entering the name in the book." This stage passed over the Old Lan- caster road for a distance of nearly six miles through Lower Merion. The mail line in 1820 started from 2861 Market Street daily (Sundays excepted) at 7 o'clock A.M. for Lancaster and Pittsburgh, the " Lan- caster coaches" starting every morning from the Red Lion, 200 Market Street. There was in addition the " Accommodation" for Lancaster at 4 o'clock A.M. from 2863 Market Street, thus showing no incon- siderable amount of travel at this time towards the West. In 1831 the Lancaster and Pittsburgh mail- stage is mentioned as starting from 284 Market Street every morning at six and a half o'clock, and for Har- risburg, Pittsburgh, Erie, Reading, Pottsville, and Northumberland from 200 Market Street. The com- pletion of the turnpike to Lancaster in 1794 must have subsequently proved highly advantageous to these several lines, especially during the winter sea- son and early spring, when the condition of the roads was often very bad. In April, 1834, the railroad was completed to Lancaster, and through to Pittsburgh in 1854, which in consequence must have caused along this great thoroughfare considerable decline in stage travel.

John Nicholas in 1792 established a line from Easton to Philadelphia, starting on Mondays, and making one trip a week, stopping at the present Stony Point, Doylestown, and Willow Grove ; leav- ing the "White Swan" every Thursday morning at six o'clock ; fare, two dollars. It carricd also the mail, a post-office having been established at Easton three years previously. In 1800 a semi-weekly line was placed on this route to Bethlehem by John Brock, Joseph Hillman, James Burson, Charles Meredith, Charles Stewart, Alexander McCalla, Elijah Tyson, and William McCalla, the fare through being $2.75, with the same charge for one hundred and fifty pounds of baggage. About 1810, Mr. Nicholas commenced three trips a week, making Doylestown a stopping- place for the night. In 1820 it started from the "Green Tree" inn, No. 50 North Fourth Street, on every Sun- day, Tuesday, and Thursday at four o'clock A.M. Samuel Nicholas, on the death of his father, became the proprietor of the line, and was long its driver, to whom were joined in partnership William White, of Philadelphia, John Moore, of Danborough, and a Mr Wilson. About 1825, William Shouse, the proprietor of a hotel in Easton, and Col. Reeside introduced a daily opposition line of stages to the city, which was continued until 1832, when the old line was bought out for a fair consideration. It is said that when the spirit of opposition began it required fifteen lionrs on the journey, which was reduced on good roads to

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STAGE LINES.

eight, an average of seven miles per hour. The relay stations were at Bucksville, Doylestown, and Willow Grove. Mr. Shouse, who became an extensive and successful stage proprietor, was still living in Easton in 1876, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. In 1851 a daily line of stages still passed through Doylestown from Easton for the city carrying the mail, but reduced from four to two horses. On the completion of the Belvidere and Delaware Railroad in 1854 the line was withdrawn after an establish- ment of about fifty-eight years.

It was customary along these routes for the stage- driver, when within a mile of the place at which the stage usually stopped for breakfast, to blow a horn, the sweet and mellow tones of which would announce his approach, that breakfast miglit be in readiness on his arrival. No sooner there than he would drop his lines, aid the passengers out of the coach, and pro- ceed to the awaiting meal ; in the mean time the horses would be changed, when the seats would be again occupied, and the journey resumed. In some cases fifteen miles having been made over the rugged road, it may be well supposed that an appetite had been awakened to be here appeased. At every post- office, generally abont four or five miles apart, a brief stop would be made to have the mail changed and the horses watered. They were what was generally termed Troy coaches, painted red with a profusion of gilding, having the proprietors' names blazoned on the panels. Four horses were always driven to each coach, who were generally selected for beanty, speed, and powers of endurance, in the proper care of which the hostlers appeared to take a delight.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 31

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534